Device for bending sheet material



Feb. I, 1955 H. M. JAMES DEVICE FOR BENDING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 23, 1953 INVENTOR. 12. M. J am e s United States Patent DEVICE FOR BENDING SHEET MATERIAL Hardy Monroe James, Monroe, La.

Application September 23, 1953, Serial No. 381,804

2 Claims. (Cl. 153-39) The present invention relates to a device for bending sheet material and more particularly pertains to a mechanism for crimping sheet metal.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which may be conveniently mounted on a work bench or the like for bending metal in sheet form by series of crimping steps so as to form annular hollow members such as cones or cylindrical shaped sections and to provide such a mechanism with means for adjusting the angle at which the sheet metal is bent in one operating stroke to thereby facilitate the shaping of sheet metal into conical elements having different apex angles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mech anism wherein a pressure bar is mounted to move in relation to two adjustable anvils having provision for accommodating the pressure bar therebetween so as to provide a simple and reliable mechanism for bending sheet metal.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent and be appreciated by those skilled in the art as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description wherein an embodiment which has been found to be useful in actual practice is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Referring to the drawing there is shown at a plate shaped base which may be secured to a work bench or the like in any suitable manner. The base 10 is of elongated shape and may be provided with openings (not shown) for securing the device to a table or work bench. A pair of anvils 11 and 12 are mounted on the base 10. The anvils 11 and 12 are L-shaped in cross section and a flange 14 of the anvil 11 is adapted to lie in flat engagement with the base plate 10. A vertical flange 16 of the anvil 11 is provided with a straight upper edge which serves as a narrow anvil surface. The flange 14 is provided with a pair of slots 17 which are arranged transversely of the length of the anvil 11. Bolt and nut assemblies 18 extend through the slots 17 and the base 10 for securing the anvil 11 to the base and permitting adjustment of the anvil relative to the base. The anvil 12 is of similar L-shaped construction in cross section and secured to the base in a manner similar to that described in connection with the anvil 11.

A pressure bar 21 is provided for cooperation with the vertical flanges and the anvils 11 and 12. The pressure bar 21 carries a triangular shaped plate member 22 at a fulcrum end thereof which is formed rigid with the pressure bar. The plate 22 may be welded to or be formed integral with the pressure bar and serves as part of a hinge structure for the pressure bar. The pressure bar is connected to the base plate 10 by means of a pair of bolts 23 and 24. These bolts are rigidly attached to the base plate 10 and may be threaded within cylindrical bosses 26 and 27 which are welded or otherwise secured to the base plate. The triangular shaped plate member 22 is provided with holes which are of larger diameter than the bolts 23 and 24. A spring 28 surrounds each bolt and the lower ends of the springs 28 "ice bear against the upper ends of the bosses 26 and 27 and engage the under surface of the triangular shaped plate 22. The springs 28 serve to resiliently support the fulcrum end of the pressure bar. A pair of nuts 29 having handles secured thereto are threaded on the bolts 23 and 24 and serve to retain the fulcrum end of the pressure bar in association with the bolts 23 and 24.

The other end of the base plate 10 carries a pair of upstanding guide members 31 and 32 and the pressure bar 21 is of such length as to extend between these guide members. A hand lever 33 is provided for moving the pressure bar downwardly between the anvils 11 and 12. An end of the hand lever 33 extends between the guide members 31 and 32 and a bolt 34 serves to pivotally connect this end of the hand lever to the guide members. A plurality of holes 36 are provided in each guide member for adjusting the pivot point of the lever 33. A pair of links 38 are pivotally connected to the hand lever by means of a bolt 39. A series of holes 41 are provided in the lever 33 and groups of holes 42 are provided in the links 38 for adjusting the position of the hinge connection between the lever and the links 38. The lower ends of the links 38 are pivotally connected to the free end of the pressure bar 21 by means of a bolt or the like 43. A plurality of holes 44 are provided in the pressure bar for adjusting the position at which the links 38 are pivotally connected to the pressure bar.

A spud 46 is formed on the base 10. A spring 47 surrounds the spud 46 and is interposed between the upper face of the base 10 and the free end of the pressure bar 21. A depending lug 48 is provided for maintaining the upper end of the spring 47 in association with the pressure bar. The spring 47 is compressed during down ward movement of the pressure bar and is provided for the purpose of raising the free end of the pressure bar when a bending operation is completed. An adjustable abutment 49 is provided for limiting the downward movement of the free end of the pressure bar.

In operation and when it is desired to shape sheet metal into a hollow cylindrical form the anvils 11 and 12 are adjusted relative to each other as permitted by the slots 17 and the bolt assemblies 18 so that the upper edges of the vertical flanges are parallel with respect to each other. A strip of sheet metal is then positioned to overlie the top edges of the vertical flanges of the anvils 11 and 12 while the pressure bar 21 is in the inactive position. Downward swinging movement of the handle 33 will cause the free end of the pressure bar to move downwardly so that the lower edge 51 of the pressure bar will engage the sheet metal and move it downwardly between the anvils to a limited extent as determined by the position of the adjustable abutment 49. If the cylinder to be formed is of large diameter the abutment 49 is adjusted so as to provide a slight bend or crimp by the downward stroke of the pressure bar. After the pressure bar returns to an inactive position sheet metal is advanced over the upper edges of the anvils 11 and 12 when the pressure bar is again moved downward by manipulation of the handle 33. Another bend is thereby formed in the sheet metal and a series: of bending steps :fire carried out to form the sheet metal into a cylindrical orm.

If it is desired to form sheet metal into a frustroconical section the anvils 11 and 12 are adjusted to diverge from each other in proceeding from the fulcrum end of the device. The pressure bar may also be shaped so as to have a greater thickness at the free end than at the fulcrum end particularly when frustro-conical shapes are to be formed having small diameter openings at the apex end. In the shaping of sheet metal in order to form a frustro-conical outline the top edges of the anvils provide for a series of bends which diverge from each other in proceeding toward the base end of the cone outline as the series of bending steps are carried out. It is possible to shape the sheet metal with right angle bends by arranging the anvils with the top edges thereof parallel to each other and adjusting the position of the abutment 49 so that the pressure bar may move downwardly between the anvils sufiicient to bend the sheet metal with ninety degrees bends.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to a mechanism of particular construction it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the elements and in the details as well as the general organization. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanism for bending sheet material, a base, a pressure bar mounted for hinged movement on said base, an anvil carried by the base extending along one side of the pressure bar, another anvil carried by the base extending along the other side of the pressure bar, said anvils having straight upper edges on which the sheet material to be bent is supported, two members spaced from each other extending upwardly from the base for guiding a free end of the pressure bar, a lever pivotally mounted on said members, a link connecting the lever with the free end of the pressure bar, and an abutment carried by the base adjustable with respect thereto for limiting downward movement of the free end of the pressure bar.

2. In a mechanism for bending sheet material, a base,

a pressure bar mounted for hinged movement on said base, an anvil carried by the base having a straight upper edge extending along one side of the pressure bar, an-

other anvil carried by the base having a straight upper edge extending along the other side of the pressure bar, means for adjusting the angular relationship of the upper edges of said anvils with respect to the pressure bar, two members spaced from each other extending upwardly from the base for guiding a free end of the pressure bar, means for moving the pressure bar downwardly between the anvils, and adjustable means limiting the downward movement of the pressure bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 784,725 Yates Mar. 14, 1905 1,159,322 Livingston Nov. 2, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS 102,783 Germany May 3, 1899 456,506 France June 20, 1913 

